


Dutch Honesty

by taylor_tut



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Alcohol, Child Neglect, Drinking, Drunkenness, Gen, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, Max Cares, david needs to relax, neglected david
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-20 11:45:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14260269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taylor_tut/pseuds/taylor_tut
Summary: When David is super stressed, Gwen gives him some tequila to relax. He's a lightweight, and Max ends up learning some things about him that David normally wouldn't talk about.





	Dutch Honesty

“David,” Gwen sighed, untying the ropes from his wrists and ankles and wincing at the rope-burns there, “you can’t just keep internalizing everything. You can admit that the kids are stressing you out.”

David shook his head vehemently, exhaustedly. “No, of course not,” he denied. “They’re not doing anything wrong! I can handle it.” 

She massaged her temples, unconvinced. “Okay,” she nodded, “keep telling yourself that.” As David rubbed aloe on his wrists, forcing a smile the whole time, she reached under her bed for a bottle.

“Grab me two cups, please,” Gwen said, taking them from David and pouring a shot’s worth of liquid into each. 

“Gwem, is that--”

“Tequila,” she finished, “yes. Drink.” 

She expected more of a fight, but David tossed it back with an animated grimace and shoved the cup back toward her. She poured another shot, then a final one, before he finally crushed the plastic cup with a drowsy hiccup and tossed it in the trash can.

“Don’t tell the campers,” he pleaded.

“Of course,” she agreed. “Go get some rest, hon,” she instructed, guiding him to the door by the shoulders. “Sleep in tomorrow. I can handle the little demons for the morning. I don’t want to see you until noon at the earliest.”

David tossed her a bleary smile and a drunken “thank you.” She smiled amusedly and patted him on the shoulder. 

“Goodnight,” she told him fondly.

David wasn’t tired, not quite yet. The alcohol had made him feel woozy and unfocused, but not sleepy. Instead of bed, he wandered down to the pier with his guitar and began absently plucking at the strings. No melody, no pressure to make a cohesive song. Just notes. Just whims. Just--

“David?” 

Max.

David tried to sober himself up through sheer willpower.

“Hey, Max,” he smiled sloppily, “what’re you doin’ up?”

Max took a few steps forward. “I got up to pee,” he said. “What are  _ you _ doing? It’s the middle of the night.”

David set his guitar down beside him and turned around, waiting for his head to stop spinning before he spoke. “Just hangin’ out,” he slurred.

Max frowned. “Did you have a stroke?”

“Course not!” David disagreed, “jus’ tired. Why’s it so tired out?” 

As Max walked across the dock, he grimaced. “Dude, you  _ reek _ of alcohol. Did you go on a bender or some shit?”

“Gwen gave me some,” he admitted, hiccuping as if for effect. “Haven’t drank since high school.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “High school? Don’t you mean college?”

David shook his head. “Nah, stopped when I was 16. Couldn’t buy it myself, and I was all moved out.”

“You… you moved out when you were 16?” 

David patted the dock next to him as an invitation, and Max sat. The night air was comfortably cool, especially the breeze that rose up from the lake. 

“More like kicked out,” he shrugged, “but same diff.”

“Really,” Max said skeptically. “I always assumed your childhood was full of puppies and rainbows, and that’s how you got to be so annoying.”

David giggled. “Nope,” he said, popping the “p” like bubblegum, “it was shitty.”

“David… What camp were you signed up for? You know, when you were a camper,” Max asked, somewhat surprised he’d never thought to question it before.

A shrug was his response, the only one he gave for a few minutes. “Don’t remember,” he admitted. “Temporary foster parents got swamped and shoved me on a bus.” His eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. “Maybe music camp? Dunno, I learned guitar at some point.”

Huh. That… was surprising. “You’ve never told me that before,” Max said, not knowing what else he could offer.

“I don’t talk about it,” he said. “In fact, you’re gonna need to forget I said anything.” He reached over and placed his hands on either side of Max’s head, making sci-fi noises. “Takin’ that memory away,” he explained through Max’s protests. 

“Alright, alright; this never happened,” he caved, “just let go.” 

David returned his hands to his lap and wavered from side to side. 

“God, you’re a lightweight,” Max rolled his eyes. “Go to bed before you fall in the lake.”

David nodded. “Good plan,” he agreed, letting Max steady him and lead him back to his tent. 

“Can I ask you something?” Max questioned, one hand on the doorknob to leave the cabin.

“Course,” David said, “anything.”

“Are you drunk because I get under your skin?” 

David blinked. 

He might be drunk, but he could read subtext. “Are you drinking to escape being around me?”

David sat up and ushered Max close, putting his hands on his shoulders to look him in the eyes. 

“This job is stressful,” he admitted, “and yeah, I’m stressed. But… Listen. This was a one-night thing. ‘N I’m gonna get up tomorrow, happy, because I get to work with the coolest kids in the world.” He smirked. “Plus, you.” 

Max bit down on a smile. “Whatever, Camp Man,” he dismissed. “Just… tell me if I take it too far, okay?”

David ruffled Max’s hair. “I like that you express yourself,” he chirped, “but will do.” 

God, David was insufferably optimistic, even when he was drunk. 

“Die in your sleep,” Max called as he slammed the door behind him, leaving David to close his eyes and dream. 


End file.
